What you can expect

Anger management classes or counseling for anger management can be done in a group or one-on-one with your partner, child or someone else. The setting, length and number of sessions vary, depending on the program or counselor and your needs. Anger management courses or counseling can be brief or last for weeks or months.

Generally, counseling for anger management focuses on learning specific skills and ways of thinking so you can cope with anger. If you have any other mental health conditions, such as depression or addiction, you may need to work on these other issues for anger management methods to be effective.

The aim of counseling and anger management classes is to teach you to:

Identify situations that are likely to set you off and respond in nonaggressive ways before you get angry

Learn specific skills to use in situations likely to trigger your anger

Recognize when you aren't thinking logically about a situation, and correct your thinking

Calm yourself down when you begin to feel upset

Express your feelings and needs assertively (but not aggressively) in situations that make you feel angry

Focus on problem-solving in frustrating situations — instead of using energy to be angry, you'll learn how to redirect your energy to resolve the situation

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